Backdrops....

.... What are the differences in the cloth vs. paper vs. canvas? Do you get drastically different results??

I'm in the process of setting up my little newbie in home studio - and the paper rolls just seem more appealing to me. Probably because they are a 1/4 of the price of muslins. :lol

You can always get the largest bed sheeting you can find, comes in rolls like curtain materials, I have kingsize and about 5 metres long, full length, pocket in top for rod and hemmed at bottom to stop material fraying. That way you can buy the colours you want as well. Wash them, hand out to dry and iron them.

Paper is great, easy to setup, trouble is, it breaks easily, needs to be periodically replaced is ongoing expense to purchase.

Canvas is stiff, needs to be hung all the time, have to be careful of paints on it, crinkling will crack the paint. Can get really nice backgrounds, but can become artifical looking as well.

Here in Australia, Muslin is cotton, same as bed sheets, I think Muslin in the USA is considered different. I have seen people posting that they buy sheets from J C Penny and use them, just get the biggest size flat sheets you can find.

Hope that helps.

Paper will generally give you a flatter, more ironed look to the background. Muslin can and does wrinkle. I use both depending if I want a little texture to the background. You can add texture to the flatter paper with lighting or paint should you wish, but it can be a real pain to get flat muslin. It really depends on what you want or need in the shot.

MJS